Young Scholar visit at CICS Prairie

Kimberly Han – a pianist and violinist from Chicago, Illinois. She started piano lessons when she was five and a half years old, and has been studying with Brenda Huang for 9 years. She is also taking regular masterclasses with Alexander Korsantia from New England Conservatory.

“To me, classical music is timeless; it has the ability to transcend any age, and express emotions through generations of people. Being selected as a 2016-2018 Young Scholar by the Lang Lang International Music Foundation allows me to explore this belief not only through many performance opportunities, but also through interacting with fellow musicians and young scholars, like myself. In these coming two years, I am definitely looking forward to joining the Lang Lang Young Scholars family, learning from Maestro Lang Lang for sure, and most importantly, just being able to share and give my love for music to others.

Becoming a 2016-2018 Young Scholar is an indescribable feeling. It was amazing, but realizing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has made me really think about the teachers, friends, symphony orchestras, and performances in my life. Everything, and everyone in these years has helped me become who I am today. For that I am extremely grateful. And I’m looking forward to what’s coming next.”

A freshman of Lake Forest High School, Kimberly is a frequent award-winner in many music events – East Central Division / Illinois State Winner of 2016 MTNA Junior Competition, Walgreens National Concerto Competition Winner (2015 20th MYA Senior Division Overall & Piano Category; 2014 19th Open Junior Division Piano and 2013 18th MYA Junior Division Piano), Winner of 2015 Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Youth Audition in March 2015, and Winner of CSO “Carnival of the Animals” Audition in January 2015, Piano Winner of 2014 11th DePaul Concerto Festival, First Place winner of 2013 15th Chopin Youth Piano Competition, along with many more.

As a solo pianist and chamber musician, Kimberly has performed in L’Auditori of Barcelona, Spain, Chicago Symphony Center, Preston Bradley Hall of Chicago Cultural Center, DePaul Concert Hall, Bennett-Gordon Hall of Ravinia Festival, and Pick-Staiger Concert Hall of Northwestern University.

Kimberly had her concert debut with Oistrach Symphony Orchestra performing Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor in February 2014, under Maestro Mini Zikri. In March 2015, Kimberly performed Saint-Saens “Carnival of Animals” as solo pianist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) during guest conductor, Vladimir Kulenovic’s debut conducting the CSO. She has been invited to perform “Nights in the Garden of Spain” as a soloist with the CSO again under Maestro Scott Speck in April 2016. In 2015-2016 season, Kimberly will perform George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra and Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, 1st movement with Midwest Young Artists (MYA) Symphony Orchestra both in February 2016, under Maestro Dr. Allan Dennis. Other concerts include Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor with Lake Forest Civic Orchestra under Maestro Robert Nordling in May 2016, Franz Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major with The New North Shore Chamber Orchestra under Maestro Anatol Lysenka in November 2016, and solo concert with Highland Park Strings under Maestro Larry Block also in the fall of 2016.

Kimberly was featured as a pre-college young pianist on WFMT 98.7FM “Introductions” in January (as soloist) and August (as duo) 2015. She will be featured again in May 2016 as the 2015 CSO Youth Audition winner and a 2016-2018 Lang Lang Young Scholar. She was also selected by Lang Lang International Music Foundation to participate in the second Allianz Junior Music Camp in Barcelona, Spain in November 2014. In September 2015, The North Shore Journal featured Kimberly as a young musician in the “Standout Student” column.

In her free time, Kimberly loves playing violin with the MYA Symphony Orchestra / her chamber ensemble Trio Fiammata / school symphony orchestra, reading and traveling around the world with her family. To give back to the community, Kimberly also performs extensively in the retirement centers across the Chicagoland, and teaches violin to kids from unprivileged districts as a participant in MYA Young Music Scholar program.

Kimberly would like to thank her inspirational teachers Brenda Huang and Alexander Korsantia, for coaching her discipline, dedication and love for classical music; The Lang Lang International Music Foundation, Allianz, Dr. Allan Dennis, Robert Bassill, and the MYA staff for providing her the great opportunity to grow as a young musician; her parents and all of her friends for their continuous support and encouragement.

website: http://kimiehan.wix.com/kimie-han